Marvel Studios made a huge announcement at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 that has been years in the making. Ryan Gosling will officially join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider, with a standalone film coming in 2028. The news came during Marvel’s Hall H panel on Saturday, July 25, where Gosling himself walked onto the stage to confirm his casting.
The Oscar-nominated actor will play Johnny Blaze, the motorcycle stuntman who becomes the flame-skulled antihero. Shawn Levy, who directed Deadpool & Wolverine and is working with Gosling on Star Wars: Starfighter, will direct the Ghost Rider movie. Jonathan Tropper is writing the script.
Ryan Gosling Pitched the Ghost Rider Movie Himself
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, revealed that the Ghost Rider project did not come from the studio. Ryan Gosling came up with the idea and brought it to Marvel.
“Ryan Gosling was the visionary for the project. He came up with the idea, and then he and Shawn Levy presented it to us. That presentation convinced the entire team and led to us announcing the project on the Comic-Con stage today.” – Kevin Feige
Gosling has wanted to play Ghost Rider for a very long time. He previously discussed the role with Marvel back in 2022 on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. During the Comic-Con panel, Gosling told the crowd that Ghost Rider is a character he has wanted to play for years.
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Shawn Levy to Direct Ghost Rider After Deadpool & Wolverine Success
Shawn Levy will direct the Ghost Rider film, reuniting with Gosling after their work on Star Wars: Starfighter. Levy previously directed Deadpool & Wolverine for Marvel Studios, which became a massive hit.
Levy spoke about how the Ghost Rider project came together during their time making Starfighter.
“We spent a lot of time last year making Starfighter, and Ryan started talking about his vision for this character, and the opportunity, and what this movie could be, and finally I was like, ‘Bro, let’s ride!’” – Shawn Levy
Levy promised fans that Ghost Rider will be worth the wait and told the crowd, “Let’s ride, we’ll see you in 2028”.
Which Ghost Rider Version Will Gosling Play?
Kevin Feige has not confirmed whether Gosling will play Johnny Blaze or Danny Ketch, the two main versions of Ghost Rider from the comics. Feige said he will let Gosling reveal that information when he is ready.
“I am going to let Ryan reveal what he wants to reveal when he wants to reveal it, and what he wanted to reveal today was he’s playing Ghost Rider.” – Kevin Feige
Feige also mentioned that Gosling has deep comic book knowledge and came to Marvel with a specific vision based on particular comics. Fans have connected this to the Rise of the Midnight Sons storyline, which brings together Doctor Strange, Blade, and both Ghost Riders.
Ghost Rider’s History Before the MCU
This will be the third Ghost Rider film. Nicolas Cage played the character in the 2007 movie Ghost Rider and the 2012 sequel Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Those films were made by Sony and exist outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ryan Gosling’s longtime partner, Eva Mendes, starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the original 2007 Ghost Rider film. The rights to the character have since returned to Marvel, but Ghost Rider has not appeared in the MCU until now.
Gabriel Luna played Robbie Reyes, another character who took on the Ghost Rider mantle, in the Marvel TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
Marvel’s Plan to Focus on Quality Over Quantity
Kevin Feige said Marvel is reducing the number of projects to focus on improving quality. The studio has faced criticism for releasing too many films and series in a short time.
“A lot of it is a strategy we’ve talked about for a while, of focusing on quality. We always try to focus on quality, but when quantity is so much, you get spread thin.” – Kevin Feige
Between now and 2028, Marvel will only release four new projects across film and television. These include Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, and the Vision Quest series.
Black Panther 3 Also Announced at Comic-Con
Alongside Ghost Rider, Marvel announced Black Panther 3 at the same panel. David Jonsson will play Prince T’Challa, the son of the late King T’Challa. The character was first teased at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Black Panther 3 is scheduled for release on December 15, 2028.
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Avengers: Doomsday and Other Marvel Updates
The Comic-Con panel also featured an Avengers: Doomsday presentation with many cast members on stage. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, and others appeared. Ryan Reynolds also made a surprise appearance in his Deadpool costume.
Avengers: Doomsday will release in theaters on December 18, 2026. Avengers: Endgame will be re-released in theaters on September 25 with new footage connecting it to Doomsday.
The Ghost Rider film is scheduled for a 2028 theatrical release, though Marvel has not announced an exact date yet. This marks Ghost Rider’s first standalone movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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